Page 65 of Love or Tequila in Unexpected Places

He started the car, the engine purring and filling him with a satisfying sense of control. There was something deeply gratifying about driving—the way a slight adjustment of the gas pedal could change his speed, or how the engine roared as he cruised down an open highway. It was a perfect blend of freedom and mastery.

In short, he loved cars.

“I’m just teasing, sweet girl. Hopefully, the sickness will pass soon.”

She blushed furiously, and he found himself curious about just how far down that lovely red hue traveled.

Get your head out of the gutter, Angelo.

She cleared her throat softly, then admitted, “I’m nervous.”

The confession pulled him out of his tangled thoughts. He grew concerned that his behavior might be making her uncomfortable—something he definitely didn’t want. He wasabout to launch into another apology ramble when she spoke again.

“What if the baby isn’t okay?” Allison asked, her voice almost swallowed by the hum of Seattle’s morning bustle.

He understood the deeper meaning behind her question—‘What if I did something wrong?’

Without thinking, he moved his hand from the gear shift and reached for hers, resting on her thigh. A sense of calm settled over him as he gently squeezed her smaller fingers with his.

“The baby will be just fine, Allison,” he said softly. “You’ve done everything right.”

She seemed to draw strength from his words—or from his touch. It didn’t matter which. What mattered was that the anxious look had faded from her face and she had stopped nibbling on her lower lip.

He kept his hand on hers for the rest of the ride.

She didn’t pull away either.

Seventeen

ANGELO

After thirty minutes of silently weaving through Seattle traffic, they finally arrived at the doctor’s office. Angelo wished the drive had lasted a little longer.

He held Allison’s hand the entire way, even though it meant sacrificing the ease of shifting gears. He didn’t mind. He didn’t mind the silence either. There was something about touching this woman that felt so right, even in such a simple way—especially considering the less-than-innocent things they haddone together. But when he held her hand, he didn’t want to let go.

Ever.

And he was starting toseriouslyconsider that.

As soon as he shut off the engine, Angelo jumped out of the car and hurried around to open Allison’s door before she could even unfasten her seatbelt. He held the door open, extending his hand to her. She climbed out, rewarding him with a smile so enchanting it almost made his knees buckle.

He followed her up the stairs, trying—and failing—not to admire the way her leggings accentuated the curve of her hips with each step. As much as he wanted to be a gentleman, he couldn’t help himself.

They were greeted by a different receptionist than the last time, who smiled politely and instructed them to head right in.

Seriously, since when do patients not wait at least fifteen minutes for the doctor?

As soon as they entered the room, Angelo made a beeline for the little stool, deliberately looking away to give her as much privacy as possible—it wasn’t like Allison would be naked, but it was still awkward.

He turned back to Allison when he heard the squeak of leather, signaling that she had sat down. He found himself staring at her profile as she looked down at her twiddling thumbs, her teeth worrying her bottom lip again.

God, I need to bite that lip.

Shaking his head to clear the thought, Angelo reached for her hand. It had calmed her down in the car, and he hoped it would work now. When her shoulders relaxed and she stopped fidgeting, he knew he was right.

Before he could say anything, the doctor entered the room, interrupting his thoughts and diving straight into a series of questions that flew over his head, though he listened intently.

“Has there been any spotting?”

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